I grew up secular: American first, Jewish by birth. No one in my circle of family or friends talked about G‑d. Life as I knew it was about work, food, intellect. My family includes medical directors, college deans, lawyers, judges, scientists and accountants. But we were in it alone, pushing forward as feeble humans. Or so it seemed.

Yet in the darker, lonelier moments of childhood, somehow I knew to use my voice to cry out for help: I’m here, and I need You. Please help.

IThere is a Power beyond what I can see and understand realized then and know now, that there is some greater Power out there, or within me, that is pure love and goodness, even if the humans in my life aren’t. There is a Power beyond what I can see and understand.

My sweet and loving mother says that she believes there is no G‑d because of the painful things she has experienced. Yes, the pain persists on a personal and global level. After generations of punishment for believing in G‑d and practicing our religion, I think some Jewish people feel an inherent fear, as well as a persistence of intergenerational pain, that doesn’t allow them to open themselves up to G‑d.

During my career as a writer, I worked for Jewish organizations that do good work, yet G‑d is rarely, if ever, mentioned. I was told by a co-worker that we may be a Jewish organization, but that’s just culture. We weren’t allowed to share or discuss anything overtly religious.

Yet I continue to reach out, to reconnect to that unwounded, infallible Force of love that is within me and beyond me.

It’s something that goes beyond the intellect, in the sense that it surpasses the intellect. The words we assign to anything in life are inherently finite. How do we use our brain and language to define, process and understand something that is infinite?

But still, when others proclaim that G‑d doesn’t exist, I understand them. “G‑d” is only a word, after all, a simple combination of letters. In fact, the G‑d of their construct perhaps doesn’t exist.

In Hebrew, there are many ways to refer to G‑d, and some of the letter combinations aren’t actually pronounceable. So we prefer to use the term Hashem, which means “the name.”

The word “dog,” for example, represents this animal I adore, but it’s not the actual animal. If I use different words to describe my schnauzer-mix Diego, it doesn’t affect his existence. It doesn’t really matter what I call him. Only that I care for him, feed him, love him. Yes, I can see Diego with my eyes, I can feel his fur with my fingers. So I know he’s there.

So the truth is, if I sit quietly and clear the clutter and chatter of my mind, I know that Hashem is really here, too. I am breathing, my heart is beating, for now. I can feel my chest rise and fall. That breath is life, it is love and can’t be denied.

The past few years I’ve been publishing a journal for Jewish women. We write about parts of ourselves and the world that need repair. We dig deep, get vulnerable, share some of life’s most painful experiences, and bring G‑d into our writing and our artwork.

We aren’t afraid to talk about the life force that keeps us going. Even when things feel utterly painful—from the death of a child in a car accident to a Nazi officer killing a sister—these women choose to still seek the light. The pain didn’t break them.

When I lost a baby 10 years ago, the pain didn’t break me, either. But there are still moments when I feel pain so deeply that it’s indescribable, and I sometimes forget to call out to Hashem.

So as a Jewish woman, why do I feel tasked with the mission of bringing down the light and love of G‑d, when so many, including those closest to me, proclaim He’s not really there or shouldn’t be discussed?

BecauseI feel the need to speak up for goodness and light I value truth and authenticity. And I feel the need to speak up for goodness and light.

There are no atheists in foxholes, as the saying goes. In other words, when things feel desperate and intellect can no longer save us, we go beyond what we know. We reach out to what’s beyond our finite brains, to what we intuitively feel on a soul level. And that is the Love of a Creator.

When you’re hurting, as I know many people are, especially now, why not set aside preconceived notions?

It starts with a simple breath. Maybe a few words uttered: I’m here. And I need You. Please help.